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Whale dead after horror boat strike

Anne-Louise Brown

A whale that was struck by a boat and killed in Moreton Bay has been found near Peel Island. Photo: Darren Burns

One southern right whale is dead, another has horrific propeller injuries and a calf is missing after a family pod was struck by a boat in Moreton Bay.

The endangered whales, which are rare in the bay, were reportedly hit in the early hours of Friday morning. The dead whale – a seven-metre long sub-adult – was discovered by rangers near Peel Island Saturday morning.

There have been several sightings of the injured adult whale, which is about 12 metres long. However, a calf previously seen with the pair has not been located.

A whale that was struck by a boat and killed in Moreton Bay has been found near Peel Island. Photo: Darren Burns

Darren Burns, land and sea coordinator for the Quandamooka Aboriginal community, who are traditional owners of North Stradbroke Island and Moreton Bay, said the whale’s death had left members of the community distraught.

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“The whale would have died almost straight away. Its injuries are just horrible,” Mr Burns said.

“We’re trying to locate the adult whale, which has been seen with propeller chops the whole way down the right side of its body, to make sure it’s in reasonable health.”

Mr Burns, who has lived on the island for 48 years, said he first saw southern right whales in the bay in 2002. Since them small family groups have returned each year.

He said dugongs and turtles were regular victims of boat strike in the bay, recalling a recent incident in which a mother dugong and her calf were killed by the same boat within an hour of each other.

But he said the whale’s death “has taken this to a whole new level”.

“Measures and protocols need to be put in place to prevent this happening again,” he said.

“Boaties need to be more aware of their surroundings and respect the marine life.

"What's really saddening for our community is that the whales were obviously starting to re-establish a route to Moreton Bay and that behaviour could be set back because of this."

Dr Jan Aldenhoven - a marine biologist and film maker who lives on Stradbroke Island - said southern right whales were more commonly associated with cool water environments but had been recorded as visiting Moreton Bay for more than a decade.

"The thing that's so sad about the death of these whales is that they are a species that seeks out shelter in bays," she said.

"They spend a lot of time resting so they were most likely resting on the surface when they were hit.

"Unlike humpback whales, which have seen a population resurgence in recent years, southern rights are really struggling, which makes this all the more sad.

"The fact they are coming to the bay means there needs to be awareness that they're here and measures need to be put in place to prevent future risk."

The dead whale has been tethered and will undergo scientific examination.